In the outskirts of
Albany, New York
Greedily, Mr. Lopes pulled the sandwich from the bag, peeled back the wrapper, and bit. Tomatoes, lettuce and onions bounced everywhere as he chewed. “Pretty damned messy,” he mumbled, “but good.” He peered down at the house across the street. “Awfully quiet over there, Mr. Smith. Anything happen while I was gone?”
Smith shook his head. “Nada. You call Baldy?” Lopes’ affirmative was muffled by bread and cold cuts. “What he say?”
“He said he’d really like us to get the girl out of there in one piece. Sounded like he had bad gas or somethin’, know what I mean? But Baldy’s a tight-ass and a dreamer. No way we get the girl out of there in one piece.”
“I’d settle for one clear shot.”
“It would help if we knew what room she was in. And there’s just the man to tell us.”
A pearl-beige Avalon pull up behind the state police car. The doctor retrieved his bag from the back seat and went into the house.
Smith smiled eagerly. “You want this, or can I have him?”
“It’s your turn,” Lopes said. “Just don’t take all night, okay? I do not want to still be sitting on this rooftop, clutching a high-powered rifle, when the sun comes up. Let’s just do this girl and get out. I can’t believe I’m spending another night on this effing roof, freezing my ass off.”
“You barely have an ass,” Smith said. “Nothing to freeze off there.”
“My nuts, then,” Lopes said. “And don’t…”
Smith flapped a pale hand daintily. “As if I would.” He shouldered a small pack and slipped away through the darkness, moving quietly for such an awkward-looking man.
Lopes watched Smith station himself in the rear seat of the doctor’s car. Maybe there’d be a grieving wife and kids at home, but Lopes rather doubted it. The doc had the look of a solitary misfit. It hung on him like the awkward fit of his clothes, the uncontrollable impulse to drink, the defensive way he held his head. No loss, really. Not like the girl. He’d developed a genuine admiration for her. He consoled himself with the thought that one clean, quick shot to the head was probably better than the way she got knocked around by Alfonso and his cops. Either way, he didn’t see her walking away from this. You can’t beat on a smart kid like that and not have her come back at you.
He ate the rest of his sandwich, drank some coffee, and unwrapped a stick of Black Jack gum. Pretty soon the door opened and the doctor came out, got in his car, paused for a quick nip, and drove away. Never even bothering to look behind the seat.